question: Summarize the following in concise and understandable language.
Nanotechnology Tools to Inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in Patients
The main target of SARS-CoV-2 is the respiratory tract (upper airways, lung), although other organs might also be infected (e.g., gut, kidney) and vasculature also appears to be a prime target. The expression of ACE2 probably determines uptake by different tissues.
In addition to discussing immune-based approaches, because the lung is the most critically affected organ, we will center our discussion on the various options to inactivate the virus in the deep lung and to target the essential host cells for drug delivery. The virus reaches the alveoli and enters alveolar epithelial type II cells (AECII), due to the relatively high abundance of ACE2 and a permissive cellular milieu. These cells serve as a reservoir of the virus, which finally spreads throughout the lung, leading to the lung function impairment seen in severe cases. Airborne nanomaterials are optimally suited to penetrate into the deep lung due to the physicochemical properties of such aerosols, existing on the same size scale particles that penetrate most readily to the deep airways. Hence, nanomedicine is already actively pursuing ideas to deliver drugs, therapeutic proteins, and mRNAs by exploiting nanodevices for pulmonary delivery.
Moreover, the rapid emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has exposed one of the main weaknesses in the current medical landscape: the lack of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. At present, there are only a handful of approved antivirals, and they are mostly virus-specific. Hence, when a new virus emerges, little can be done pharmacologically to slow down its spread. Some research efforts have been focused on the development of broad-spectrum drugs, which could potentially offer some efficacy against future emerging viruses (and maybe SARS-CoV-2). The various approaches developed over the years are mainly based on the creation of entry inhibitors. A highly conserved part in viruses is the attachment ligand (VAL). In most known respiratory viruses, the VAL targets either heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) or sialic acids (SA). Both HSPG and SA mimics have shown in vitro ability to bind to viruses, blocking their interaction with cell membranes, and often in a broad-spectrum way. In the context of nanomedicine, many nanomaterials have been developed, ranging from
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